“The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is celebrating the piano with 10 days of concerts, master classes and other events called the RBC Piano Extravaganza,” reports Trish Crawford in Tuesday’s (2/3) Toronto Star. “It kicks off Wednesday with free midday concerts in public spaces throughout the city, including the Toronto City Hall Rotunda, Union Station, the CBC Atrium, Royal Bank Plaza and the Hospital for Sick Children. Pianists such as Stewart Goodyear and the TSO’s Patricia Krueger will play for three hours beginning at 11 a.m. Emanuel Ax, a Grammy-winning American classical pianist who is the festival’s curator, will visit each site and play a miniconcert for passersby. Members of the public are also invited to try their own hands at the Steinways.… Other free events include a lunchtime concert at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts … a piano marathon at Koerner Hall … a master class lead by Ax … an invitation to students from the Royal Conservatory of Music, the TSO’s partner in the festival, and the Regent Park School of Music to try out the TSO’s new Steinway.… Music director Peter Oundjian conducts the opening concerts.… Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals (with appearances onscreen by animals from the Toronto Zoo) has two afternoon performances.”
Posted February 4, 2015
